Tag Archives: iPod

The line goes: "with great power comes great responsibility." But in the case of Kensington's latest iPhone 5 desktop charger, great power just comes with great versatility. The AbsolutePower USB dock is the leading accessory maker's newest Apple charging dock. But it's also quite possibly one of the best accessories of its kind.

A lot of thought has been put into the design of this Apple desktop charger. For starters, it's sleek and compact, so it'll take up a minimal amount of space on your desk at home or at work. And its non-slip case means that it won't be sliding all over the place either. And if you're in a hurry, you don't even need to worry about removing your phone from its case.

But that's hardly the coolest thing about this iPhone accessory. And we at Pure Mobile have a hunch that it's called the AbsolutePower USB dock because it's one charger to rule them all.

Sure, it works great as desktop iPhone charger. But thanks to its USB to AC power adapter, it's easy to convert it into a portable charger that draws power via USB rather than a wall outlet. And since it's so compact, it's really easy to just toss this charge and sync stand into your bag and take it to go.

So, aside from doubling as a stand for face-time chats, and a desktop charger and syncer for multiple Apple devices, it's also a portable charger. It kind of makes you wonder if there's anything this iPhone dock doesn't do.

After knowing what Kensington's latest can do, it seems pretty clear that the AbsolutePower USB Dock is among the best iPhone docks – and maybe even the best iPhone accessories – to come our way in some time.

At the Pure Mobile blog, we're pretty fond of carrying cases and skins. Let's face it, they're something we use day in and day out. But today's Mobile accessory of the week is one of the unsung heroes of the cell phone accessory world. Yes, we're talking about chargers, and about PureGear's latest iPhone 5 Car Charger.

High tech cases are great and all. But if you've ever run out of battery on your iPhone, you'll know why chargers really hold the power in the grand scheme of things. Not much you can do witha dead phone huh?

But that's something you won't have to worry about too often with this new iPhone 5 charger. Since it's a car charger, you can power up while you're on the go. Just sit back, hook up your device, turn on the radio, and go. You'll be set when you reach your destination.

That alone isn't enough to make this charger our Accessory of the Week. But did we mention that PureGear's also built this charger kit with an extra USB port?

PureGear iPhone 5 Car Charger with Extra USB

Yep, it's a simple addition to a pretty standard product, but it makes all the difference, since you'll be able to power up your iPhone as well as your iPad, iPod – or any other device that charges via USB connection – simultaneously.

Oh, and PureGear's patented circuit board is especially designed to protect your gadgets from short circuits.

Your iPhone, iPad and iPod aren't much more than lumps of plastic, glass and metal if they're not charged. And this iPhone 5 car charger with extra USB from PureGear will help you make sure it never comes to that. May not sound as exciting as a new camera lens for your iPhone or a sexy new carrying case, but every bit as important, if not way more so.

In our mobile accessory of the week feature, we often review practical and handy accessories that simplify your daily life. But this week, we've left the grown-up world behind to focus instead on a fun new gadget that'll make you feel like a kid again, with a spotlight on Griffin's Moto TC Monster Truck.

It doesn't matter whether you're 5 or 55, this remote controlled truck is pretty hard to resist. And it'll probably be the coolest piece of tech to hit your life since the iPhone, iPad or iPod you use to control it. Just imagine ripping down the office hallway with this thing or tearing up the living room, and you'll get the picture.

Griffin's Moto TC Monster Truck for iPhone, iPad and iPod

Basically, this awesome little gadget works by using your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch as a remote, via a free app that lets you "wreak havoc," from your touchscreen.

Definitely not the remote-controlled car of your childhood, the controls for this baby are pretty sweet: You can maneuver by touch, using a virtual steering wheel, or by motion, when you tilt your device to steer. Or, slide your fingers across your display to direct the truck.

You can even pre-program routes, like figure-eights and track loops or "record your own trail of destruction and relive the madness."

As for specs, this is one truck that's designed to go anywhere. It's got a high-clearance chassis with knobby tires and four-wheel independent suspension. And you don't have to worry about batteries, since it's powered by an internal rechargeable NiMH battery pack.

Sure, it may not be a total necessity for your responsible, adult life. But this awesome little truck is one of the most fun and coolest accessories for iPhone (or any other device for that matter) that you can find. As its maker Griffin aptly notes: "Anyone can fling birds at pigs. But do you have what it takes to tame the Moto TC Monster?"

Whether it's for environmental or economic reasons, monitoring fuel consumption has never been of greater concern for drivers. And Dash, a new iPhone, iPad and iPod car accessory, will help you keep on top of things. As gas prices and carbon emission levels continue to rise, this iOS accessory tracks your fuel use as well as a slew of other things, so you can drive cheaper, greener, and more efficiently.

A low-energy Bluetooth device, Dash plugs directly into your car's On-Board Diagnostics port (OBD) and transmits data to your iPhone or any other Apple device. (All cars made after 1995 are equipped with an OBD port.)

It then tracks and analyses the data through the Dash app. From there, you can publish your data to a drivewithdash.com account, to better monitor your driving data and share with others.

According to Dash, this community aspect: "makes it easy to see your fuel usage over time, log overall miles, or determine the most economic way to drive to work. You can even compare your driving style or vehicle with other users to help improve your savings."

And the online Dash community even makes it easy for you to arrange splitting on gas with other users. The result is a better understanding of your fuel consumption as well as solutions on how to improve it.

but aside from gas use, this nifty iPhone accessory for your car can help you detect maintenance issues, "even before your check engine light comes on." Again, the Dash community can provide you with quick tips for troubleshooting from other users who have experienced similar problems.

And, if you've got an iPhone car mount, Dash's DashCam feature will even let you "record a video with trip and engine details overlaid on top." Sharing videos on YouTube or social media is a snap too, as Dash has Facebook and Twitter integration.

We've never quite seen an iPhone, iPad or iPod car accessory quite like this yet. And the entire concept, from the low-energy car-powered Bluetooth device, to the social aspect and video feature, is pretty exciting. But more importantly, Dash may just be the first iPhone accessory that can both help you save money and become a greener driver.

Even for Apple devotees who have nothing but praise for their iPhones, battery life is a common concern. But if the above image is something you never want to see on your iPhone again, there are ways to go about it. Plenty of iPhone accessories are designed specifically to help you extend battery life, so you can banich the red low battery symbol from your life forever.

For everyday use, an iPhone external battery case is probably your best bet. With an extra battery built right in, accessories like Incipio's offGRID line of cases combine the protection of a carrying case with a life-saving back-up battery.

Incipio offGRID Battery Case for iPhone 4 and 4S in Black

With models for both iPhone 4S and iPhone 5, the OffGRID Battery Case will double your talk, text, viewing and game time, all in a sleek and compact package that adds surprisingly little extra bulk to your phone. The offGRID for iPhone 5 even features LED lights to let you keep track of battery life.

Incipio offGRID Battery Case for iPhone 5 in White

But for longer jaunts, say, a week-long camping trip or a vacation abroad, you're probably going to need more than just double the usual battery life. And Dexim's BluePack S8 external battery will give you an additional 11 hours of talk, 21 hours of gaming or video viewing or 92 hours of music.

Dexim BluePack S8 Enhanced Battery for All Devices

Actually compatible with most other phones and devices too, Dexim's is one of the best iPhone battery extenders out there in that it can also be used to power up your iPad and iPod and features LED indicators to let you know how much juice you've got left. Oh, and it's also got a nifty little flashlight built in, so it really is a great iPhone accessory for travelers.

So, between backup battery packs and external battery cases, there's no reason you should have to worry about that horrible red battery image ever again. Because, whether it's just a typical workday, or a long trip abroad, there's an iPhone accessory that's got your battery life covered.

We're turning up the bass with today's accessory of the week. That's because Moshi's Vortex Premium In-Ear Headphones are designed to deliver fast articulate bass without any distortion. Most of us know Moshi for their high-quality carrying cases, bags, chargers, and other iPhone accessories. But these awesome little earbuds prove the company's just as good with audio.

Compatible with Android devices like Samsung's Galaxy line, BlackBerry handsets and Apple products, like iPhone, iPod and iPad, these earbud-style headphones for iPhone and more are ideal for listening via mobile phone. With an integrated mic, you can easily take or end calls without unplugging your headphones.

And taking this smartphone compatibility even further, Moshi's even developed an iOS app that'll speed up what's called the "burn-in" process. Never heard of it? Here's a quick rundown from Moshi:

"Like breaking in a new pair of leather shoes, high-quality headphones perform better once they've been used over time. This process can take several weeks or even months [...] By playing back a curated list of tones/frequencies, the Moshi Audio Burn-In Tool allows the headphone diaphragms to relax and reach their optimal level of sonic performance."

All that basically means that your headphones will reach optimal performance level much quicker.

As for the actual sound clarity, a lot has gone into the Vortex Premium Headphones. Moshi promises that the high-definition HR8 neodymium drivers housed in the headphones' steel alloy construction "vastly improves low frequency extension, but also renders silky smooth highs." So you'll get clean bass and smooth treble.

That's a whole lot of features from such a small accessory, and there's a lot more that the length of this review can't cover. But if you want details, Moshi's got a lot of in-depth information available on their website.

But, as a quick recap, these Android, BlackBerry and iPhone compatible headphones from Moshi make the grade for us because they're the total package: Slick-looking and durable steel alloy design, convenient omnidirectional mic, high-quality sound that's clear and undistorted, a nice protective carrying case, and a reasonable pricepoint.

Don't get us wrong, we thinkApple's headphones are great. The only problem is, you're basically not going to find them in your favorite color, unless of course it's white. But wouldn't it be nice to find some earbuds that not only work with all your Apple gear and sport the same kind of mic and remote your official Apple headphones do, but with a little color choice?

That's where Scosche comes in. The mobile and cell phone accessories maker is well known for its top of the line audio accessories, from big stuff like car stereos, amps and subs, to little gems, like their Chameleon Earbuds with tapLINE II remote and mic.

Compatible with pretty much any Apple device made after 2008 – they work with iPhone, iPod and MacBook – the Chameleon Earbuds are aptly named. That's because each pair comes with three different colors of interchangeable caps that you can easily switch out to suit your mood or style du jour. (We especially like them in the blue, green and grey availability, which are truly reminiscent of an actual chameleon.)

Of course, there's more to these Scosche headphones than just the pretty surface. As you'd expect from any iPhone headphones, they're equipped a remote and microphone in the integrated the tapLINE II control surface. So you can easily switch tracks, play, pause, and control volume, as well as answer and end calls.

Nevermind that you'll get great sound on the cheap with the Chameleon Earbuds – pretty much the best you'll get from any Apple-compatible earbuds with mic. And, just to make your sound that much better, Scosche even offers a free app called tuneQ, which further enhances your listening experience when you use these colorful headphones.

For the money, you probably won't find a more colorful, more reliable or higher quality set of headphones for your Apple devices. And fashion chameleons will rejoice in the freedom of color that comes along with these great little earbuds.

ClarityOne's new over-ear headphones with PureSound technology in white

There are a lot of high-end, high-performance universally compatible headphones and earbuds on the market. Beats by Dr. Dre probably comes to mind, and maybe even Incipio. But if you aren't already acquainted with ClarityOne, you're missing out. The company is responsible for some of the best earbuds we've ever seen (or heard?), and now, with their new over-ear headphones, they've earned our title of mobile accessory of the week yet again.

Last time we checked in with ClarityOne, we were amazed at the patented PureSound Processor used in their earbuds to eliminate all distortion and allow for top sound clarity. As one reviewer from BlackBerry OS noted, the PureSound processor isn't just a gimmick, but was more than 12 years in the making. It works by creating "opposing magnetic forces that cancel out the inductive reactance."

Not surprisingly, the company has put the same technology into their new over-ear headphones, so you get your music, and nothing else, in a comfortable over-ear model.

If you're curious about specs, BlackBerry OS was good enough to put a list together:

Sensitivity (1kHz): 110dB SPL/mW

Frequency Range: 35 Hz – 17 kHz

Jack Plug: 3.5 mm stereo gold plated with 1/8 to /1/4 adapter

Cable Length: 48 in/1.12 m

Transducer: neodymium magnet

Impedance (1kHz): 8 ohm

And, along with the fact that they provide pretty much the best sound you'll ever get from a set of headphones, extra thoughtful details, like the ability to swivel the headphones' earpieces, make these fairly hard to match.

Of course, ClarityOne's over-ear headphones are compatible with almost every device you can name – tablets like the Acer Iconica, Apple devices like iPhone and iPod, Samsung phones like the Galaxy line, and pretty much every other cell phone you can connect headphones to. So you can enjoy exceptional sound quality and clarity whenever and on whatever device.

When is an iPhone accessory not an iPhone accessory? When it's a musical instrument.

At first glance, you may think you've got Artiphon's Instrument 1 all figured out. On the surface it looks like some sort of mobile take on Guitar Hero that runs on your smartphone or MP3 player instead of a video game system.

But as Mashable explains in their in-depth review, the Instrument One is most certainly more than just an “appcessory.” Instead, it's a real musical instrument in its own right. Scratch that, it's a real multi-instrument that uses your iPhone or iPod Touch “as its brain.”

Made of genuine hardwood and sporting high-end speakers, it doesn't really look like a guitar, or a keyboard, or any other instrument per se, but that's the whole point. As Artiphon founder Mike Butera told Mashable, the Instrument 1 intentionally stays away from trying to replicate any specific instrument so that musicians are free to use it any way they want. So you can play it like a violin if you want, but it's really up to you.

According to Mashable, “The Instrument 1 works with any core MIDI enabled app, but there are plans to release a companion app for more detailed / custom mappings in the future.”

We're not sure what to make of the Instrument 1 yet, or whether we'd actually play one. But we've got to give it credit for being one case where the iPhone accessory outshines the device.

The next best thing to a personal trainer, Scosche's myTREK Wireless Pulse Moniter helps you plan and keep track of your training sessions and stay motivated

We've reviewed armbands for smartphones on the Pure Mobile blog before, but today's mobile accessory of the week takes the cake. Way more than just an easy way to connect to your phone during workouts, the Scosche myTREK Wireless Pulse Monitor is the next best thing to having a trainer.

Like other sport and running armbands, the myTREK lets you to listen to music from your iPhone or iPod wirelessly, connecting via Bluetooth. Integrated controls on the armband make it easy to control volume, skip songs, and the like. Oh yeah, and it also works at up to 33 feet away from your phone.

But the myTREK is first and foremost a workout tool. WIthout any wires or chest straps, the armband comes in three sizes for optimal fit, and uses integrated dual LED and optical sensors to moniter you pulse in real time.

So why even bother making it compatible with your iPhone? Well, Scosche has designed it to work like an exercise log, with a myTREK app that essentially turns your phone into a fitness diary that also motivates you as you work out.

With it, you can keep track of workout stats like pulse, calories burned, duration, distance and speed, or even the map route you took while running. And over time, you can use the myTREK's integrated calendar feature to keep score of your overall progress, which you can then share via email or social media.

But here's where this amazing little mobile accessory really fills in for a trainer; myTREK allows you to easily set goals based on health information, and to customize your workouts by activity type. With each different training zone represented by a different color, myTREK will give you motivational audio prompts during your training session, helping you stay within your target training zone.

Like we said, this is way more than just an armband for your iPhone. Scoshe's is about the best fitness-related mobile accessory we've seen to date, and that makes it our top pick for accessory of the week.